Hobby Lobby coming to Northern Virginia

We have exactly three hobby stores left in our area.  Hobby Lobby (one store), Hobbytown USA, again, one store, and a Micheal's.  The Hobby lobby and Hobbytown stores basically wiped out the decent couple of small stores we had, then immediately increased their prices.  I think they learned that at the Wal-Mart school of business tactics.

Yep, I am in Stafford and yes I stopped by the Hobby Lobby Saturday evening....I was very pleased it is finally open. 

Do you still live in Stafford? I live in Falmouth.

Anybody gone to the hobby lobby yet? I went on saturday during my break...bought a 1/48 Revell MiG-21...all hobby stuff is 30% off and they've got a pretty decent selection. Also they have Model Master Acryls! I'm happy about that...

Eric,

I used to live right in Springfield from 87-98, before moving to farther south in Stafford.  Springfield Mall was the happening place, but is nearly vacant.  Tysons Mall and Crystal City are the two current most decent malls in the area.  Tysons has really expanded.  Trend in the area is now for the town-like shopping complexes vice malls.  I do have to say, I rarely frequent the malls anymore.  Not sure if the train shop still exists at Landmark..haven't been there in years.

I lived in Springfield from '83 to '90 before moving just a few miles up the road to Alexandria just inside the beltway just off of Edsall Rd.  I loved Springfield and the mall.  From what I've been told about the area by my friends and brother who still live out there, I wouldn't recognize the place anymore.  I've heard about how Springfield Mall has really gone downhill which is truly a shame and practically unbelievable.  That and Landmark Mall were the two places I used to frequent.  In fact, I used to work at Landmark when I lived in Alexandria.

It's just funny that in a metropolitan area of millions of people, you can't find a decent hobby shop!

By the way, what did you mean by "No LHS there either..."?

Eric

Eric, I live in Springfield. You're right. That mall is a DUMP! No LHS there either....

echolmberg

Please don't tell me "Air, Land & Sea" in Old Town Alexandria is gone, too.  But something tells me it is. 

Eric

I do believe that it is gone.

I find it hard to believe that the DC metropolitan area is devoid of any good hobby shops.  Even here in Mayberry (aka Green Bay, WI) I can throw a stone and hit half a dozen shops in any direction.  More if I go further out.

Please don't tell me "Air, Land & Sea" in Old Town Alexandria is gone, too.  But something tells me it is. 

Eric

Dre

I looked for a hobby/model shop out near Dulles (actually, the Chantilly area) a few years back when I visited the area, I couldn't find said shop... I don't remember the name of the shop, sorry.

You'd think that with so much military stationed around the WashDC area, the airports between Baltimore and Dulles and with all of the high-tech job fields that there would be more model shops up there, but NO.    

The hobby shop in Chantilly is Hobby Hangar and it is still there.  Nice owners, but their major focus is on RC.  They do carry some models.

echolmberg

When I was a teen growing up in Springfield, I remember practically living at the Sport & Hobby Warehouse in Springfield Mall.  Does anyone else remember that?  I moved away from Va back in '96.  I've heard that Springfield Mall's glory days are far behind it now.  Such a shame.  I used to go to R.E. Lee H.S. right across the street.  Every few days after school I'd walk across the street with my best friend.  We'd hit the Sport & Hobby Warehouse, buy up our models, walk back to school and then catch the late bus home.  Ahhhhh the memories...

Eric

Yes, I remember that hobby shop in Springfield Mall when I first moved to the area in 1987.  I was sad when it went away.  As for the mall, you are so right.  A shadow of its former self.  Lots of shops gone.  I know they are going to put some high rise office buildings in with the mall to rejuvenate, but right now it is only frequented by teenagers.

I havent gotten the chance to go up and look for up but I've heard that its still there. I know there used to be a good one near potomac mills but that went under. Also used to be one in F'burg, it wasn't the good but still stinks that its gone. I remember when there used to be models at the PX on Quantico back before they remodeled it to one giant store.

You'd think...I think my manager said Hobby Lobby opens on saturday? I'll be going in on Sunday to check it out haha.

I looked for a hobby/model shop out near Dulles (actually, the Chantilly area) a few years back when I visited the area, I couldn't find said shop... I don't remember the name of the shop, sorry.

You'd think that with so much military stationed around the WashDC area, the airports between Baltimore and Dulles and with all of the high-tech job fields that there would be more model shops up there, but NO.    

Yes I'm really excited about hobby lobby opening up there regardless of my current employment at the michaels right down the road. I certainly hope they have a better selection of models then we do.

"Just a quick run up 495"

I didn't know there was such thing as a quick run on 495 HAHA, just kidding of course...I thought there was a hobby shop up near Dulles...Piper Hobby I think it is?

When I was growing up there was only one hobby shop in the area.  Most models, reference books, and supplies were bought in drug stores and on rare ocassions in department stores.

Orlando just had their first Hobby Lobby open a couple weeks ago.  Today I picked up a Tamiya 1/350th I-400 sub for about 59.00 including tax.  The kit normally goes for a little over 70.00 plus tax.

When I was a teen growing up in Springfield, I remember practically living at the Sport & Hobby Warehouse in Springfield Mall.  Does anyone else remember that?  I moved away from Va back in '96.  I've heard that Springfield Mall's glory days are far behind it now.  Such a shame.  I used to go to R.E. Lee H.S. right across the street.  Every few days after school I'd walk across the street with my best friend.  We'd hit the Sport & Hobby Warehouse, buy up our models, walk back to school and then catch the late bus home.  Ahhhhh the memories...

Eric

Dre

Too bad that you missed the Squadron Shop when they had a store in Silver Spring, Md.  Just a quick run up 495 and enter model store heaven.  A few years back there was a decent LHS out in Fairfax City- I can't remember the name at this time- they had a decent selection of kits and great paint section.  There used to be tons of small mom-n-pop model shops around the Wash. DC area well into the late 80's, but then the real estate and building boom went crazy and we lost them all for parking lots, condos and strip mall bodegas.

Yep, I hear ya. Sad.  I remember the Squadron shop.  The last really good model shop in the area was Grand Dads in the Springfield area.  They closed up shop about three years ago when the owner retired.

Too bad that you missed the Squadron Shop when they had a store in Silver Spring, Md.  Just a quick run up 495 and enter model store heaven.  A few years back there was a decent LHS out in Fairfax City- I can't remember the name at this time- they had a decent selection of kits and great paint section.  There used to be tons of small mom-n-pop model shops around the Wash. DC area well into the late 80's, but then the real estate and building boom went crazy and we lost them all for parking lots, condos and strip mall bodegas.